Catching Up With 2011 New Music So Far

Three months into 2011, and plenty of good music to entertain us already! Here are my favorite recent new releases (and one I overlooked from last year!), in alphabetical order.

Acid House Kings - Music Sounds Better With You: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Adam Haworth Stephens - We Live On Cliffs: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Alexi Murdoch - Towards The Sun: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Bright Eyes - The People's Key: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Dears - Degeneration Street: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean: Official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

James Vincent McMorrow - Early In The Morning: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Robert Pollard - Space City: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Sara Lov - I Already Love You: Official Site :: iTunes

Skywatchers - The Skywatchers Handbook: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Strokes - Angles: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Tapes 'n Tapes - Outside: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

The Twilight Singers - Dynamite Steps: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Voxhaul Broadcast - Timing Is Everything: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Walk The Moon - I Want I Want: Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

A Dream Vacation With Neutral Milk Hotel

If I say "December", on the English coast, in a town called "Butlins", it might not sound immediately like a dream vacation. But a festival has just been announced that will be curated by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, who made one of the best albums of the 1990s, (In An Aeroplane Over The Sea), and then disbanded before too many people had a chance to see him play. Add in the bands he's booked just so far: Superchunk, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Magic Band, The Raincoats performing their debut LP in it's entirety, and Apples In Stereo and maybe you'll start to see the appeal. If it's just a bit too early to know what you'll be doing in December, maybe just look up this classic record by Neutral Milk Hotel and dream away to that.

Neutral Milk Hotel: Website :: Amazon :: iTunes

All Tomorrow's Parties Festival: website

Arcade Fire Wins Grammy "Album Of The Year"

If I would have had any INKLING that indie band Arcade Fire was going to win "Album Of The Year" at the Grammies, I definitely would have watched that silly show. It would have been worth sitting through the many mainstream pop acts just to feel that moment when maybe, just maybe, there was hope that a changing of the guard was not only possible, but imminent. Congratulations to Arcade Fire, manager Scott Rodgers, and most definitely congratulations to Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance who founded indie label Merge Records in 1989 with a dream that bands could sell records, find an audience and enjoy artistic freedom instead of sacrificing their soul to a major label record contract. You did it. Arcade Fire "The Suburbs":  Amazon :: iTunes

Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small: Powell's Books

Merge Records: website

Daniel Ahearn "Long Way Home"

Daniel Ahearn is one of Los Angeles' best kept secrets (not his favorite boast, I'm sure), and I was happy to see an extensive interview and article with him in Kevin Bronson's wonderful blog Buzz Bands LA. Kevin is a talented writer who loves L.A. and has excellent taste in music. It's well worth five minutes of your time to read his piece on Daniel Ahearn, but first buy Daniel's music and then you can listen while you read! Daniel Ahearn: Buzz Bands LA article :: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Adam Haworth Stephens (from Two Gallants)

This is my new favorite album. I somehow overlooked it when it came out in late September last year. It is definitely one of the best of 2010 though. Slightly more sophisticated than his Two Gallants albums, but still that amazing voice that carries emotion so well, and his incredible songwriting. We Live On Cliffs, indeed. And we like to hear Adam Haworth Stephens sing about it. Adam Haworth Stephens: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes